How flexible are you?

Try this experiment to test your flexibility.

Sellotape the ruler to the box at the 20 cm mark. The 20 cm
mark should be in line with the edge of the box. The lower numbers
should be on the part of the ruler that is not touching the
box.

Place the box against the wall. Point the ruler towards
you.

Take off your shoes and sit down. Put your feet flat against
the box and your legs flat on the floor.

Slowly and gently reach forward towards the ruler. Reach along
the ruler as far as you can go. Get your willing volunteer to
record what number you reach.

The further along the ruler you can reach, the more flexible you
are.

What's happening?

When you reach forward to the ruler, you are bending at your hip
joints. This causes your lower back and hamstring muscles to
stretch. The further along you can stretch, the more flexible you
are.

This experiment is called the sit and reach test.
Physiotherapists use the sit and reach test to find out how
flexible their patients are and to see if a lack of flexibility
could cause an injury.

Flexibility is important for sport. It means that your body can
move through a whole range of different motions and positions. Some
sports, like gymnastics, need a high level of flexibility. Are you
flexible enough to do the splits like a gymast?

Curriculum information

Summary

Try this simple experiment to demonstrate and gather numerical data on the flexibility of your class.